Flowers
by CrazyGirlofManyNames
Summary: SaiIno one shot...Sai needs some help with his people skills and Sakura suggests to go to Ino.


ACGOMN: Yes another one shot of a crack pairing or is it! Sai/Ino is very appealing after I stopped hating Sai...now I just feel bad for him because he doesn't understand emotions and stuff.

Disclaimer: You know I don't own Naruto or any of its characters...Kishimoto-sensei does.

**Flowers**

Yamanaka Ino is a beautiful young kunoichi. She is the daughter of Jounin Yamanaka Inoichi. She helps run the Yamanaka family flower shop when she isn't training or on missions. She is on Team 10 under the instruction of Sarutobi Asuma and her teammates are Akimichi Chouji and Nara Shikamaru. Ino is a very out going girl and likes to do girl things. For example shopping, which the author dislikes very much. Ino isn't stupid either. She graduated the top female rookie of the class.

Now, normally Ino would be thrilled to be hanging out with Sakura. They had rebuilt their friendship since the first chuunin exams and doesn't intend to break that up again for something as stupid as a boy. Ino really didn't mind, but when she came over with her new teammate Sai it's a different story. Sure, Sai is cute, looks a bit like Sasuke and he called Ino gorgeous, but he's a bit weird.

Sai is a emotionally devoid young Chuunin who is in the 'Ne' or Roots. Sai doesn't remember anything really of his happy times as a child or anything like that. Sai isn't even his real name, he can't remember his real one. Sai after dealing with Orochimaru, Sasuke, Sakura, Naurto and Yamato has been wanting to learn about human feelings and their interactions. Sai reads books at the library hoping to get some more insight. Sakura had told him the perfect person to help him with that. Ino. Sai wouldn't go by himself so Sakura had to take him.

"Ino can I talk to you for a second in private," asked Sakura, innocently. She dragged Ino in the back room. Sakura put on her innocent face.

"Sakura what do you want? I know this Sai guy is cute and all, but what are you planning," asked Ino.

"Ino do you remember when we were younger and you helped me out of my shell," started Sakura.

"Yes," replied Ino hesitantly.

"Well I need you to help Sai," asked Sakura, well more like demanded.

"Wha?"

"Yeah, he isn't going to get anything from those books he reads," said Sakura, "Please with those small tomatoes you like on top." Sakura gave Ino a puppy dog face. Ino groaned.

"Fine I'll teach him," said Ino. Sakura hugged Ino and ran out to the front to tell Sai. Ino has no idea what she got herself into now. Sai can't show emotion and has a hard time reading social situations correctly or his nickname habit. Sakura grinned at Sai, which unsettled him for some reason.

"Guess what Sai," said Sakura, "Ino said she'll help you."

"Okay," said Sai. Ino followed out of the back to give Sai a small smile. Sai just looked at her.

"So I have to go to go meet Shizune-sensei for some more training," said Sakura, "I'll be back later." Sakura waved and walked out of the store. Ino was left alone with Sai.

"So where to we start," asked Sai.

"Uh, tell me first about the books you read about this," asked Ino, having no clue on how to start this 'lesson.' So, Sai went into detail about the books he read. Sakura was right he would get no where with those books.

"And that's basically it," said Sai.

"Okay, first we are going to work on nicknames," said Ino. "When nicknaming someone, make sure it doesn't insult them too bad."

"Like what," asked Sai.

"Well Sakura calls me Ino-pig and I call her Sakura-forehead girl," said Ino, "And you never call Chouji fat or anything related to that."

"I think I understand," said Sai.

'_Good this may go smoother than I thought.'_ So, began Sai's lessons. They had a few interruptions like Ino's parents and Shika coming in to buy flowers for Temari. Her mother teased Ino about having a boyfriend, while her father eyed Sai suspiciously. Shikamaru just said her trademark line and bought the flowers.

"What's a boyfriend," asked Sai.

"Um, let's see how do I explain this," said Ino, thinking. "It's guy someone is in a romantic or sexual relationship."

"So a girlfriend would be the female version of this," said Sai.

"Girlfriend can also be used to refer to a girl's girl friend, that are just friends," said Ino, "Boys refer to their friends as guy friends."

"I see," said Sai.

"Hey I'm back," said Sakura, coming in to the shop. "Was Ino-pig any help Sai?"

"Yes," said Sai.

"Whatever, forehead girl," said Ino, "You owe me lunch Sakura."

"Fine, we'll go to Ichiraku ramen. Sai you can come too," said Sakura, "as long as Naruto isn't there."

"Why," asked Sai.

"Naruto loves ramen and if he finds out that I'm paying for you two's lunch, he'll want me to pay for his too. One time he ate 20 bowls," said Sakura.

"Oh," said Sai. Weeks after Sai's lesson with Ino have passed and Ino had no missions coming in. Ino had heard from Shika and Asuma about the Akatsuki invading Fir Country, so their were really no missions for her. Naruto was off training and Sakura was working overtime at the hospital. Ino hasn't seen Sai around, so she was just working on a bouquet of flowers in her shop. The bell to the door rang, saying that someone was entering.

"Welcome to the Yamanaka Flower Shop," said Ino, not realizing who it was.

"Ino-san," said Sai.

"Ah, hello Sai," said Ino, "What can I do for you today?"

"I need a bouquet of flowers," said Sai, "For a friend."

"Well, what do you want to say to that friend," asked Ino.

"Gratitude," said Sai.

"Okay then I know the perfect thing," said Ino. She went to her rose section and picked out a bouquet of roses of different colors. Then she got a chrysanthemum to put in the center. "It means gratitude and you're a wonderful friend."

"How much," asked Sai. He began getting out his wallet from his pocket, when Ino stopped him.

"It's on the house," said Ino, handing him the flowers.

"Thank you," said Sai, "But I would prefer to pay."

"Oh well if you insist," said Ino. She gave him the receipt and he paid. Sai left eh flower shop. Ino went back to her previous project of flowers and wondered who Sai was giving the flowers to.

Sai had left the flower shop looking proud of himself. He went to his small apartment to get the vase he bought the other day. Sai had decided that he should thank Ino for helping him with understanding people. Sakura even said he was getting better. Sai for the past week knew where Ino hung out. He was going to leave it on her window seal of her room. So, Sai went out and used his ninja skills to get there.

Later that day when Ino was relieved of the job in the flower shop she went up to her room to change. Ino walked into her room. She always left the window open during the day and she saw a vase with flowers in it. Ino picked it up and saw there was a note on it.

'_Ino-san,_

_Thank you._

_Sai_

_P.S. Maybe we can go get ramen sometime.'_

She didn't know why but it made Ino smile. She placed the flowers on her desk. And began to do what she meant to do in the first place.

ACGOMN: WTH did I write this for? Review anyway...be nice.


End file.
